Amazing Grace Music On Visit To An Old Church In The Highlands Of Scotland

Tour Scotland travel video of Amazing Grace bagpipes music on visit to an old church and graveyard in the Scottish Highlands. Amazing Grace, How sweet the sound That saved a wretch like me I once was lost, but now am found T'was blind but now I see T'was Grace that taught my heart to fear And Grace, my fears relieved How precious did that grace appear The hour I first believed Through many dangers, toils and snares We have already come. T'was grace that brought us safe thus far And grace will lead us home, And grace will lead us home Amazing grace, Howe Sweet the sound That saved a wretch like me I once was lost but now am found T'was blind but now I see Was blind, but now I see The words to " Amazing Grace " were written in the 18th century by John Newton. He was born in London, England, and after a life which included being press ganged into the navy, flogged and becoming a skipper of a boat plying the slave trade, was converted to religion and became a minister. In the history of the Highlands of Scotland many crofts, villages and churches fell into ruin in the in the late 18th or more usually the early 19th century. These times were a dark chapter in Scotland’s history, as the highland social structure was destroyed in the process. This is what is known as the Highland clearances, when the population of small farmers, known as Crofters, who used to raise black cattle and drive them in herds to the lowlands to sell were unable to produce enough rent to keep the estate owners satisfied. They were evicted from their homes, often with little regard for their well being, as their goods were thrown out of their small cottages which were then demolished. The people had to go to the cities, to emigrate or to live along the coasts while the whole of the interior of the Highlands was more or less depopulated and sheep flocks, managed shepherds from the lowlands were brought in to provide a more profitable enterprise for the estates. Many crofters emigrated to America, Canada and Australia. All photographs are copyright of Sandy Stevenson, Tour Scotland, and may not be used without permission.

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